You may have heard that busking can actually be a pretty lucrative venture for some lucky performers. You won’t be making millions, by any means, but if you find yourself a nice spot with good walking traffic, the money you earn isn’t chump change.
Still, for others, you can actually earn six figures standing out on the street all day with a guitar. Or in the case of Robert John Burck, standing out on the street with a guitar, a cowboy hat, cowboy boots, a pair of briefs, and… nothing else.
Burck is better known as The Naked Cowboy and over the years he’s become a staple of New York City’s iconic Times Square. In fact, some would even venture to say that The Naked Cowboy is as iconic as Times Square itself. He certainly would.
A shameless self-promoter, Burck has more or less mastered the art of busking, if the point of busking is to cleave dollars away from random pedestrians. Make no mistake, Burck is not a talented musician, but he’s got a fantastic gimmick.
According to a recent interview with Time, Burck got the idea for the naked cowboy after doing a photo shoot for Playgirl. After the photographer offered him more money to strip out of his flannel shirt and jeans, Burck sensed a business opportunity.
Venturing out into Times Square with the intention of becoming “the most celebrated entertainer of all time in a year or less”, Burck claims he didn’t take any money for the first three years but is now earning “about $150,000 a year on average”.
At first, he says, it was about “doing something that I really enjoy doing and the money came later”. After accepting a dollar from one observer, Burck took the suggestion to write ‘Tips’ on his boot. He made almost $500 that day and almost $600 the next.
Love Pierce Brothers?
Get the latest Pierce Brothers news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
[include_post id=”462471″]
“I take pictures and they put dollars in the guitar for the photos and it turns out to be about $150,000 a year on average,” he told Time. He’s also diversified, having written a book entitled Determination and released three albums.
He’s also trademarked the ‘Naked Cowboy’ name and the “viable image” of a guy standing naked out in Times Square with a guitar. He militantly protects his brand, having been involved in many federal trademark lawsuits and anyone who wishes to be a Naked Cowboy or Cowgirl must franchise the name from Burck.
You can check out Burck’s ridiculous yet oddly inspirational interview below.
